Companies Act 2014

1060

Enforcement of notification obligation

1060. (1) Where a person authorises any other person (the “agent”) to acquire or dispose of, on his or her behalf, interests in shares comprised in relevant share capital of a PLC, the person shall secure that the agent notifies him or her immediately of acquisitions or disposals of interests in shares so comprised effected by the agent which will or may give rise to any duty on the person’s part to make a notification under this Chapter with respect to his or her interest in that share capital.

(2) An obligation to make any notification imposed on any person by this Chapter shall be treated as not being fulfilled unless the notice by means of which it purports to be fulfilled identifies the person and gives his or her address, and in a case where the person is a director or secretary of the PLC, is expressed to be given in fulfilment of that obligation.

(3) Subject to the subsequent provisions of this section, where a person fails to fulfil, within the period specified by this Chapter in that behalf, a duty to which he or she is, by virtue of section 1048, 1050 or 1057, subject, no right or interest of any kind whatsoever in respect of any shares in the PLC concerned, held by the person, shall be enforceable by the person, whether directly or indirectly, by action or legal proceeding.

(4) Where any right or interest is restricted under subsection (3)—

(a) any person in default as is mentioned in that subsection or any other person affected by such restriction may apply to the court for relief against a disability imposed by or arising out of that subsection;

(b) the court, on being satisfied that the default was accidental or due to inadvertence or some other sufficient cause or that on other grounds it is just and equitable to grant relief, may grant such relief either generally or as respects any particular right or interest, on such terms and conditions as it sees fit;

(c) where an applicant for relief under this subsection is a person referred to in subsection (3), the court may not grant such relief if it appears that the default has arisen as a result of any deliberate act or omission on the part of the applicant.

(5) Subsection (3) shall not apply to a duty relating to a person ceasing to be interested in shares in any PLC.

(6) A person who fails without reasonable excuse to comply with subsection (1) shall be guilty of a category 3 offence.

(7) A person who fails to fulfil, within the period specified by this Chapter in that behalf, a duty to which he or she is, by virtue of section 1048, 1050 or 1057, subject, shall be guilty of a category 3 offence.

(8) In any proceedings in respect of an offence under subsection (7) consisting of a failure by a person to fulfil, within the period specified by this Chapter in that behalf, a duty to which the person is, by virtue of section 1057, subject, it shall be a defence to prove that it was not possible for the person to give the notice to the other person concerned required by that section within that period, and either—

(a) that it has not since become possible for him or her to give the notice so required; or

(b) that he or she gave that notice as soon after the end of that period as it became possible for him or her to do so.